BOZEMAN — Popular Canadian singer-songwriter Daniel Caesar has been traveling the country on what he calls a “pop-up” tour, performing in random locations without prior public notice.
Students at Montana State University were quick to express their excitement.
“Are you a fan of him?” I asked.
“I am,” said Jordan, an MSU student.
Others shared similar enthusiasm. “Yeah, I’m a huge fan,” several students told me.
Caesar had played in Vancouver a few days earlier. When a new post appeared on his Instagram announcing a Bozeman stop, local fans were thrilled.
“I saw it on Instagram in the morning and I thought it was a joke. I didn’t believe it because it was just so random,” said MSU student Cooper.
The free pop-up concert ended up taking place Thursday night on private property off Rocky Creek Road, attracting fans from across Montana.
“Especially from my hometown — I’m from Butte — so I saw a lot of people who drove over here for it,” Jordan said.
Thursday, Caesar posted the exact location. Cooper and his girlfriend, Julia, skipped class to make sure they could attend.
“It was fun. One of those moments where you’re standing in the rain listening to Daniel Caesar at this random horse ranch, trying not to step in horse poop,” Julia said.
The turnout was larger than many expected.
“I was honestly astonished because he fills stadiums and performs with huge people like Tyler, the Creator,” Cooper said. “He said at the end this was the biggest pop-up he’s had,” Julia added.
Curious how local authorities managed the unexpected crowd, I visited the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office to find out.
“It’s a free-for-all. It’s a lack of planning. It causes problems,” said Sheriff Dan Springer.
Springer said while nothing serious happened, the lack of organization created safety hazards.
“They were blocking driveways, blocking the roadway,” he said. “We then got phone calls from the railroad, and they told us there were about 1,000 kids on the railroad tracks, running across and down the tracks.”
Deputies did not arrive until complaints began coming in. They discovered hundreds of cars and people crowding the road.
“It seems like fun and games until someone gets hit on the highway,” Springer said. “Or if there’s an emergency and we can’t get fire trucks or an ambulance through.”
Random events like this are rare in Gallatin County, but Springer believes local law enforcement should be prepared in case they happen again.
WATCH: Community and Sheriff response to pop-up concert in Bozeman
“I think the police department and I are going to have to sit down and talk about how we’re going to handle these things going forward. My recommendation would be for promoters to reach out so we can come up with a plan,” he said.
An idea Cooper and Julia support, as they hope more big-name artists will make stops in Montana.
“So many big artists don’t come anywhere close to here — the closest they usually get is Minneapolis or Salt Lake,” Julia said.
“I just think it’s cool that he came to Bozeman of all places,” Cooper added.
